Unearthing Your Ten Talents

by Kevin Vost

Beginning with the Gospel parable of the talents which were buried in the ground by some, and multiplied by others Kevin Vost here unearths a treasure for those who are struggling to live a life of Christian the ten particular talents that God has given each of us as our own . . . to bury . . . or to multiply for our own good and the good of the Kingdom. Guided especially by St. Thomas Aquinas, one of the Church's greatest teachers, as well as by Fathers of the Church and the example of many saints, Vost explains how you can discover, understand, and perfect each of your own ten talents. In the process, you will develop your noble ability to reason, strengthen your faculties of mind, perfect your physical capacities for beauty of form and grace, nurture your ability to act angelically, and prepare yourself to live that life which is proper to a being made in the image of God. Do you know what your ten talents are? Do you know what God wants you to do with your life? As He gave ten talents to each of the souls in the parable, so He has given ten particular talents to you. Don't ignore them any longer, or leave them buried. Let Kevin Vost help you unearth them, and show you how to multiply them a hundredfold.

Genres: Catholic

272 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2010

About the author

Kevin Vost, Psy. D. (b. 1961) has taught psychology at the University of Illinois at Springfield, Lincoln Land Community College, and MacMurray College. He is a Research Review Committee Member for American Mensa, which promotes the scientific study of human intelligence.

He enjoys reading the Classics (especially Aristotle and the Stoics) and St. Thomas Aquinas in his spare time.

Reviews

[Steven R. McEvoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr. Kevin Vost's books have been a source of inspiration and personal challenge since I first discovered them a few years ago. His balanced approach to life, of developing body mind and spirit, is encouraging and mirrors my own journey to find wholeness in life. Jesus said "I am come that they may have life and have it to the full," from John 10:10. I believe that full is a balanced life, and Dr. Vost helps a reader to achieve that. In each of his books that I have read from Memorize the Faith to Fit For Eternal Life and now in this new volume Unleashing Your Ten Talents Kevin unlocks truths and then makes them available for those of us on the same journey.

In this book Dr. Vost begins with the Gospel parable of the talents, where some have been buried in the ground, and some, by others, multiplied. What Kevin Vost unearths here is a treasure for those of us who are struggling to live a life of Christian virtue. The ten particular talents that God has given each of us as our own are ours to either bury or to multiply for our good and the good of the Kingdom. The specific talents he exams are:

Part I The Talents of Learning

1. Understanding . . . Understanding.
2. The Science of Science
3. Words of Wisdom

Part II The Talents of Living

4. Forging Fortitude.
5. Tempering Temperance
6. Justifying Justice
7. Practicing Prudence

Part III Talents of Loving

8. Fostering Faith
9. Harnessing Hope
10.Cherishing CharityVost opens these 10 talents to us beginning with St. Thomas Aquinas and then with many examples from saints throughout the ages. Vost explains how we discover, understand, and perfect each of our own ten talents. He will help us develop the ability to reason and strengthen our minds. He provides the tools needed to help us shape body, mind and spirit into a more noble structure, grounded in scripture and church history, but prepared to grow and move forward to serve the church and the world. He provides tools to help us develop and to live as we were intended as having been created in the image of God.

This book will help you answer these questions: Do you know what your ten talents are? Do you know what God wants you to do with your life? And to learn how to live and mature in them and their use, Kevin will help take these deep theological and philosophical ideals and present them in such a way that you will be able to apply them. It is another excellent book by an author who uses his talents to help all of us improve.

[Zach Frey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one will be for re-reading, mediating, and applying.

Vost uses the framework of the Parable of the Talents to expound on Aquinas, and particularly on the ten virtues he identifies -- 3 intellectual, 4 cardinal, and 3 theological. (If that grouping doesn't make sense to you, read the book!)

The book is clear, easily to understand without being simplistic, and has whetted my appetite for tackling some of Aquinas and Aristotle directly. I highly recommend it.

[Fr. Dominic Rankin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kevin Vost manages to summarize the wisdom of Thomas Aquinas without losing any of his profundity or clarity, and simultaneously bringing out, with his own whit and humor, the delights that the Angelic Doctor shows to be found in striving for a life of virtue. Excelsior!

[Lly_th · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would actually rate this more as a 3.5 stars. Lots of information but it reads like an outline that a college professor wrote for his class. I was hoping for the book to delve a bit deeper.

[J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is probably the most straightforward book one will find about The Virtues. I love Thomistic thought, but getting the language of St. Thomas is rather difficult for me, but Dr. Kevin Vost breaks it down into something understandable for our time in a very clear way. The author is has influences from Stoic and Aristotelean thought which lead him in fact back to the Faith, and I empathize with this path because I share it with him.

This book ties the Natural Virtues of Mind and Body perfectly with the Supernatural Virtues and Gifts to the Life of the Church very seamlessly. As a person who intends to go into psychology, to be a therapist this is something that I bought with the hope of incorporating into therapy and this book realized my hope, as I have other books of a similar nature too, however they are not grounded within the Catholic Tradition.

But nonetheless this book is perfect, and if asked if I would recommend this book to a someone interested in developing their character, I would recommend many times over.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book about virtues/gifts of the Holy Spirit. It made me think about how the ancient Greeks and Romans as well as many Catholic Saints and early Church Father/Mothers/Doctors were highly educated in the math, science, philosophy of the day but still pursued the knowledge of god and religion as equally important. Being smart and highly educated absolutely does not preclude one from knowledge of God and spiritual matters. Actually the opposite is true! I like the author and will probably read more of his books.